Downtown Plano is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the city announced Friday.

The city of Plano said in a statement the National Park Service has added the city’s downtown area to the national program, which identifies historic districts and supports public and private efforts to protect them.

City officials expect the designation to promote tourism and economic development, city spokesperson Steve Stoler said in the statement. Property owners would also be eligible to apply for state and federal incentives to improve their buildings, he said.

Before the announcement, the city said, Plano was the largest city in Texas without a district on the register, a fact the city had been working with a consultant since 2015 to rectify. The city worked with a consultant and conducted property surveys to pave the way for the designation. The Plano Historical Commission initiated the formal designation process in February.

Daniel Houston covers Plano city government, transportation, business and education for Community Impact Newspaper. A Fort Worth native and Baylor University graduate, Daniel reported previously for The Dallas Morning News and The Associated Press in Oklahoma City.